While releasing the Congress Party manifesto, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India mischievously and scrupulously tried to resurrect the dead issue of demolition of dilapidated Babri structure at Ayodhya. The idea behind this cheap gimmick was to create a sense of insecurity in the members of India’s Muslim community and thereby garner their votes.

The Muslims, more or less, have reconciled to this issue by now. By reminding them all over again, Manmohan Singh should be deemed guilty of communalizing the Indian polity and inciting the Islamic jihad in India. Instead, it would have been much dignified for him to express regret and offer an apology to millions of Sikh brothers for the criminal massacres in 1984 riots engineered by the then Congress Party leaders of Delhi.

Dr. Manmohan Singh may be a highly educated person, a great economist or academic, but his traits of “Jee Hazoor” (yes sir, or yes madam, in this case) are in his blood and are clearly visible in his totally subservient character. It is a matter of utter shame and disgrace for a country of over one billion people that the top political leader of land takes unwritten orders – without any questions – from a half-literate foreign lady having no executive authority of any kind. This is absolutely degrading for every Indian but it happens to be completely true.

India is one of the world’s military superpower. Its advanced nuclear arsenal and over a million active troops will soon be augmented by the indigenously developed Agni-III Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles. But look at the scared mindset of the Government of India, it cannot even guarantee the safety of Indian Premier League (IPL) within its own borders. By this weak and vacillating attitude, the Government of India has indirectly accepted that the writ of terrorists runs not only in Swat Valley in Pakistan but also all over India.

Nothing could be more damaging to the dignity of all Indian people – its intellectuals and geniuses included – than the display of pusillanimity shown by the UPA government, headed by this spineless Dr. Manmohan Singh. The other day Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi aptly commented that “If the India Government cannot guarantee the safety and security of its 11 cricket players, how else will it save the country’s 1.11 billion citizens?”

We have seen how the thousands of our valiant soldiers, over the years, have been killed in Kashmir by the Islamic terrorist outfit LeT in collusion with Pakistan’s official intelligence agency ISI and the local Muslim Jihadi groups. But instead of taking care of the families of these brave Indian soldiers, the same Dr. Manmohan Singh, the puppet Prime Minister of India, now has plans to provide pensions to the families of terrorists who have been fighting the Indian security forces! If the country’s own Prime Minister would go out to encourage and reward the terrorists butchering its citizens, why blame the outside enemies?

In order to further polarize Indian polity on communal lines, Prime Minister Singh,during his tenure of 5 years, misused his official position and doled out innumerable freebies to the minority community; viz. Rs. 45 crores for modernizing madrasas, 80 crores for pre-matric scholarships and Rs. 4000 crores for the developmentof 90 minority districts.

India government should learn from the United States how to eliminate terrorism from the country. In last 6 years, US has restored almost normalcy in the war-torn Iraq – thousands of miles away from their territory. But, it is a sad commentary on this new superpower - India - that it has failed to eliminate terrorists even from its own soil, in the last 60 years! This state of affairs demonstrates a total absence of political will and resolve on the part of Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of country. His own Congress Party knows fully well that more than 99% of these terrorists are Islamists. But, Dr. Singh is worried that if the Islamic terrorists are eliminated, he would lose the life sustaining votes from India’s Islamic community that his party treats as its vote-bank.

NATO forces are using Drone attacks in Pakistan’s Swat valley region to seek and destroy terrorists hiding in the rugged mountains without risking the lives of their own soldiers. But, it is incomprehensible as to why India’s army is not using the sophisticated and modern weapons in dense jungles of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir to flush out and destroy the five groups of Islamic terrorist outfits. My sneaking suspicion is that the Indian Army is not given a free hand to liquidate the enemy. These things are, again, happening under the leadership of a person who is used to taking orders – from Sonia Gandhi – but does not know how to exercise his constitutional authority.

It is essential that Dr. Manmohan Singh displays a sense of self-respect, dignity and confidence at a time when the threat of Jihadi terrorism is menacingly hovering over India to engulf her. For the Prime Minister of over one billion people to stoop so low – just to harvest a handful of Muslim votes – is a sad commentary on the poor performance of this man.

From the above it is abundantly clear that Dr. Manmohan Singh is simply a de jure Prime Minister (the one who occupies the position only by law, even though undeserving otherwise) whose strings are being pulled from behind by the “invisible hand” of de facto Prime Minister (existing in fact whether with lawful authority or not). The robot Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has completely surrendered himself to the de facto Prime Minister Sonia Gandhi who has no executive authority in the country whatsoever.

Because of his incapacity, incapability, and mental servitude, Dr. Manmohan Singh has earned for himself the sobriquet of “inconsequential” and “weak” Prime Minister from L.K. Advani, the leader of the Opposition in Parliament and the nickname of “eunuch” from Udhav Thackrey, the leader of Shiv Sena party.

Every major city in India has been attacked consistently over the last two years.Since 2004, 3850 Indians have died in Terror attacks in over 3000 incidents. Is the common Indian on the streets really safe ?

Did you know that on the day of the Mumbai train blasts, the Government gave Rs 150 crores for earthquake relief in Pakistan ?

Last year our Govt. has given Rs 3000 crores (600 Million Dollars) to Afghanistan?

This, when victims of terror in India have not yet got aid? What’s going on?

B) Is this Government really secular ?

1) When Madrasas are being shut down in Pakistan, the Indian Government is giving them CBSE status !! It is depriving Muslim children in getting secular education. A Madrasa educated person can get a job in any government office without going through the secular education system. Can India afford to have fundamentalists in government departments? Why cannot the government shut down Madrassas and let Muslim children study with the rest?

2) Our Government has given 25 lakh scholarships ONLY to minority students.What sin have the majority done not to deserve these?

Why cannot poor students of all communities be given scholarships instead of only Muslim children?

3) Thanks to the Congress led Government, out of 36000 temples in Andhra Pradesh, 28000 have closed down in the last five years. Do you want the same trend to continue in other parts of the country? Do you want a Nagaland type of situation in the whole of India? While government controls most of the Hindu temples, the minority community has had full freedom to organize their religious bodies. The minority communities now have the first right over resources. Is this not a blatant violation of fundamental rights of the majority community?

4) Why have the minorities in Nagaland, Mizoram & Kashmir not got the similar privileges like the minorities in other states? Why is the Govt following different rules for different religions?

C) Is this government really making friends or enemies for India ?

Thanks to a weak and visionless foreign policy, India has created enemies all around. By the Home Minister’s own admission : "India is surrounded by a circle of fire". Rajiv Gandhi's vision of a powerful "SAARC" is now defunct.

1) Today, India commands little respect from all its neighbours, despite being the largest democracy in the world.2) Terrorism has engulfed the country from inside and outside. Of course Pakistan,the motherland of international terrorism continues to be a big threat.3) China has territorial ambitions on India.4) Nepal, is now being headed by a Maoist government and is ideologically more aligned to China. While India helped to dismantle the dynastic rule in Nepal our own Government surreptitiously supports dynastic rule within its own party.5) Myanmar is increasingly aligning with Chinese forces with huge Chinese investments in that region.6) Indian Policies in Srilanka have made Tamil Nadu burn. Will Tamils ever forgive India for encouraging military assault rather than facilitating peaceful dialogue on their north and north east regions.7) Bangladesh continues to repeatedly aid and abet terrorism.

D) Is this Government really pro-poor?

The number of people living below the poverty line has increased by a horrifying 20 per cent. India had some 270 million people below the poverty line in 2004-2005, when the present Government took office. That number has gone up by 55 million, or 20 per cent!

E) Does this Government really care about the nation?

The Pakistani flag is now being hoisted in five districts of states like Assam where the Muslim population has gone up significantly. 92000 Hindu and 6000 Christians are now languishing in refugee camps. The government has turned a blind eye to this.

In the name of security, innocent people have been put in jails, whereas people like Yaasin Malik who has 23 murder charges on him, are moving Scot free and gathering their own strength. Is it acceptable to any patriotic Indian?

Can the Congress led UPA promise a non-muslim CM in J&K ? Reservation for a Hindu student in Nagaland ? If so, we wholeheartedly support them. Otherwise they should sit at home the next few years and rethink their policies.

Can our politicians stop stooping down to any lengths just for money and power ? Like Mr.Sharad Pawar, who first ditched the Congress and then ditched the people and aligned back with the Congress, just to be in power.

Don’t be deceived. What appears to be communal is not communal, and what appears to be secular is not secular. It is time we change our thinking.

Having said all this even BJP has not proved to be any better. But for now we need a change. Let us choose the lesser of the two evils. The same party brought to power again and again means encouraging unabated corruption.

Stand up for this most tolerant and ancient civilization and prevent this great nation from becoming a communal battleground. As citizens of India we must vote for change.

"And as per the CAG website (Controller Audit General of India) more than 50,000crores rupees has gone missing from the Govt. Treasury"

Mangalore, Mar 15: The Hindu Samajotsava, called for by various spiritual leaders in an effort to unite the Hindus and create a Hindu vote bank, was held at Nehru Maidan on Sunday March 15. The event was organized by the Dharma Raksha Vedike, formed under the leadership of Pejavar Viswesha Theertha Swamiji. Twenty Swamijis from various Maths in the state participated in the Samajostsava and asked the Hindus to be united in electing an individual who is pro-Hinduism and who works for Hindutva. The Swamijis addressed the gathering from dais which was named ‘Laxmanananda Saraswathi Vedike’. Surendra Kumar Jain, secretary, VHP central committee, was the main speaker of the Samajostsava who said, “The country and the Hindu youth should unite to build a strong Hindu nation. The country is under attack from conversion, terrorism, and anti-Hindu activities. The so-called secularist politicians, for the sake of the votes of the 12 or 13 percent of minority votes, have failed to form laws against conversion, terrorism, and to protect cows from slaughter.” Live Like a Hindu“Live like a Hindu if you want to live in Hindustan. This a warning to all those anti-Hindus, who are doing activities to harm Hinduism. The fact that seers have come out on streets shows that all limits have been crossed by anti-Hindus and when seers get out on streets they create revolution,” said Surendra Jain warning all the anti-Hindu people and so called secular politicians. He said that politicians who cannot stop conversion, cow slaughter, Bangladeshi infiltrators and declare Sri Ram Sethu as national treasure, have no right to rule India. He said that may it be Amarnath Yathra or Ram Sethu, the Hindu sentiments have been hurt. “Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh have questioned the identity of Sri Ram and said that Ram never lived. This is Sri Ram’s land and he is the identity of Hindus and if anyone questions his identity, will have to face dire consequences,” he said.CoversionCalling conversion as the greatest crime, Jain asked the missionaries to practice their religion within the four walls of the church and not resort to conversion in the name of service.“We will not interrupt you if you conduct masses not only on Sunday but 7 days a week and not for one hour but for 24 hours. But if you resort into conversion, thereby insulting Hinduism and Hindu gods, we will not tolerate,” he said and added that the Churches in North East have built nexus with the terror outfits as it is a known fact that the fathers in these churches are in possession of RDX and other weapons. “If one Hindu gets converted to Christianity, it is not that number of Hindus decreased by one number or number of Christians increases by one. It means that number of our enemy goes up by one,” he said.Calling upon the Hindus to be alert, he informed that the terrorists have an aim of converting India into Pakistan by 2020. “If you want the symphony of recital of Vedas and manthras and not the cacophony of bullets and bombs, wake up Hindus and rise above religion. Elect candidates who are determined to root out conversion and protect Hinduism,” he added.

“These ‘secular’ political leaders have coined the word ‘Hindu terrorism’ to hide their failure in safeguarding the Hindus who are the majority in India. If the Hindus unite, a third world war will happen in their attempt to protect themselves and to protect Hinduism”, he said. “We will not allow the national flag to be burned inside India in the name of ‘jehad’. Kerala is the launch pad of terrorism and it is supported there”, said Jain. Sri Gurudevananda Swami of Odiyoor said in his inaugural speech that a Hindu vote bank should be created not as a political move, but as a vote of the Hindu religion. He added that the Hindus should work for the prevention of problems in the country by using spirituality and not weapons. Sri Ramananda Swami of Kolya Math said, “The Hindus, who are in the majority in this country are treated as second-class citizens. To avoid this, the saffron flag should fly high in the country.” Sri Vajradehi Rajashekarananda Swami, who administered the oath, said in his speech that Hindus should select a person who is a supporter of Hinduism and who works for Hindutva. He also said that the word ‘Talibanization’, used recently by a central minister should be taken as a challenge for a revolution. Sri Viswesha Theertha Swamiji of Pejavar Matt said, “Hindus are going to unite to protect the country from conversion, terrorism, cow slaughter, and untouchability”. A rally was also organized from Jyothi Circle to Nehru Maidan prior to the Samajostva. Members from various Hindu organizations of the district participated in the Samajotsava in large numbers.

Security in the city was tightened and police deployment was at a high from early morning on Sunday

The Hindu calendar is based on lunar months corresponding to the phases of the moon. In one year there are twelve months of 29.5 days, accounting for a total of 354 days.The shortfall means that the date of each festival moves back 11 days each year. To rectify this, an extra leap month is added about once every three years. The Hindu calendar is therefore luni-solar, with a precise month and an approximate year.The year – starting with Makara Sankranti, the sun's entrance into Capricorn – is divided into two halves and six seasons. There are various ways of reckoning the New Year; most common is the day after the new moon in the month of Chaitra or, in Gujarat , the day after the Diwali new moon. Various eras are used for numbering the years; the most common are the Vikrami Era, beginning with the coronation of King Vikram-aditya in 57 BCE and the Shaka Era, counting from 78 CE. In rituals the priest often announces the dates according to KaliYuga, (see Kala: Time). For these three systems, the year 2000 corresponds to 2057, 1922, and 5102 respectively, though the last figure is subject to some debate.

Above: The diagram shows the Hindu year, with months and the corresponding festivals. It is somewhat approximate, as the exact dates change yearly relative to the Gregorian calendar – with a month between the earliest and latest possible dates. A few festivals are determined by the sun alone, and their Gregorian dates are the same (or within one day) each year.

The MonthWithin each month, there are two "fortnights, " each consisting of 15 "lunar days." Although the solar and lunar days technically begin at different times, each solar day is ascribed one particular lunar day numbered from one to fifteen, either of the bright fortnight (waxing moon) or the dark fortnight (waning moon). Months average out to 29.5 days, so occasionally a day will be dropped. For example, in one month, the fourth day of the waxing moon may be followed by the sixth.There are two main calendars. In North India, the month generally begins with the full moon, in South India with the new moon. Festival days will still fall on the same day, or very closely, but the name of the month may be different. For example, Krishna 's Birthday falls on the eighth day of the dark moon; in the North this is in the month of Bhadra; in the South in Shravana.

The WeekThe week is divided into seven days, each corresponding to one of seven planets, exactly as in the West. No day is particularly special but each is related to a specific deity. For example, Monday is often associated with Shiva and Tuesday with Hanuman. Hindus may perform fasts and recite prayers to supplicate a particular deity on the corresponding day of the week.

The DayThe day usually begins at dawn, or just before, according to which astronomical and astrological systems are used. The day is divided into 15 muhurtas, each of about 48 minutes, and the night is similarly divided. Traditionally brahmanas chant the Gayatri mantra at sunrise, noon and sunset because these are considered particularly important times of the day. The first two muhurtas (about one hour) of the morning before dawn are considered most auspicious, especially for spiritual practices.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Greetings of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (Samvatsararambh) : Hindu new year

http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/gudhipadwa/

The wheel of Time that begins on Samvatsararambh day is related to the Origin of the Universe and is beneficial for mankind. The period commencing on 1st January is related to the Dissolution of the Universe and is harmful. Hence, celebrate the Samvatsararambh day as the New Year day! The first Holy festival which marks the beginning of the New Year, new month and new day for Hindus falls on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. It is known as Gudi Padwa (in Maharashtra), Yugadi (in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh), Vishu in Kerala and many different name in various states of India.

This Hindu New Year Day is celebrated by worshiping and hoisting the ‘Dharmadhwaj’ (flag) immediately after sunrise. On this day, Prajapati frequencies arrive on Earth in larger proportions. The ‘kalash’ on the Dharmadhwaj facilitates the entry of these frequencies into the house. Neem leaves have greater ability to absorb Prajapati frequencies, hence we should take this as prasad. The ‘Dharmadhwaj’ should be lowered before sunset. Using the ‘dhwaj-kalash’ for drinking water helps us avail of these frequencies the entire year.

For more details visit linkhttp://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/gudhipadwa/

Friday, March 20, 2009

Swami Vivekananda:Meditation is the focusing of the mind on some object. If the mind acquires concentration on one object, it can be so concentrated on any object whatsoever.

Disciple:Mention is made in the scriptures of two kinds of meditation ” one having some object and the other objectless. What is meant by all that, and which of the two is the higher one?

Swami Vivekananda: First, the practice of meditation has to proceed with some one object before the mind. Once I used to concentrate my mind on some black point. Ultimately, during those days, I could not see the point any more, nor notice that the point was before me at all â€” the mind used to be no more ” no wave of functioning would rise, as if it were all an ocean without any breath of air. In that state I used to experience glimpses of supersensuous truth. So I think, the practice of meditation even with some trifling external object leads to mental concentration. But it is true that the mind very easily attains calmness when one practices meditation with anything on which one's mind is most apt to settle down. This is the reason why we have in this country so much worship of the images of gods and goddesses. And what wonderful art developed from such worship! But no more of that now. The fact, however, is that the objects of meditation can never be the same in the case of all men. People have proclaimed and preached to others only those external objects to which they held on to become perfected in meditation. Oblivious of the fact, later on, that these objects are aids to the attainment of perfect mental calmness, men have extolled them beyond everything else. They have wholly concerned themselves with the means, getting comparatively unmindful of the end. The real aim is to make the mind functionless, but this cannot be got at unless one becomes absorbed in some object.

Disciple: But if the mind becomes completely engrossed and identified with some object, how can it give us the consciousness of Brahman?

Swami Vivekananda:Yes, though the mind at first assumes the form of the object, yet later on the consciousness of that object vanishes. Then only the experience of pure "isness" remains.

Disciple: Well, sir, how is it that desires rise even after mental concentration is acquired?

Swami Vivekananda: Those are the outcome of previous SamskÃ¢ras (deep-rooted impressions or tendencies). When Buddha was on the point of merging in Samadhi (superconsciousness ), MÃ¢ra made his appearance. There was really no Mara extraneous to the mind; it was only the external reflection of the mind's previous Samskaras.

Disciple: But one hears of various fearful experiences prior to the attainment of perfection. Are they all mental projections?

Swami Vivekananda: What else but that? The aspiring soul, of course, does not make out at that time that all these are external manifestations of his own mind. But all the same, there is nothing outside of it. Even what you see as this world does not exist outside. It is all a mental projection. When the mind becomes functionless, it reflects the Brahman-consciousne ss. Then the vision of all spheres of existence may supervene, " ” Whatsoever sphere one may call up in mind" (Mundaka, III. i. 10). Whatsoever is resolved on becomes realised at once. He who, even on attaining this state of unfalsified self-determination, preserves his watchfulness and is free from the bondage of desire, verily attains to the knowledge of Brahman. But he who loses his balance after reaching this state gets the manifold powers, but falls off from the Supreme goal.

So saying, Swamiji began to repeat "Shiva, Shiva", and then continued: There is no way, none whatsoever, to the solution of the profound mystery of this life except through renunciation. Renunciation, renunciation and renunciation ” let this be the one motto of your lives. ” For men, all things on earth are infected with fear, Vairagya (renunciation) alone constitutes fearlessness" (Vairagya-Shatakam) .

-(Translated from the diary of a disciple ” Sharatchandra Chakravarty.)

Thursday, March 19, 2009

PANCHAAMRITAM 157

Pancha is five in Samskritam, Amritam is nectar

POORNIMA, Kali Yugaabda 5110, Sarvadhari Maasi 26 (March 10, 2009)

Dear all, Vanakkam.

After PANCHAAMRITAM 150 dated (November 27, 2008), you missed six PANCHAAMRITAM issues, because we failed to post. Reason? You guessed it right: "Unavoidable", of course! Kindly condone this big break. PANCHAAMRITAM issues 151,152,153,154,155, and 156 are to be mailed to you soon. -Moderator.

ONE

Even while the Church-Left combine is trying to foment communal tension by raking up temple entry related issues in parts of Tamilnadu, nearly 10,000 men and women belonging to all the 22 communities living in and around Panruti - a small town about 150KMs south of Chennai, performed a 24 hour (from 6 AM of February 23, 2009 to 6 AM of February 24) Jalabhishekam - with the holy water collected from river Ganga, Kaveri and three local rivers at Thiruvadhigai, an ancient Shiva temple, thanks to the positive efforts of RSS Swayamsevaks. Local sangh karyakarthas made systematic contacts with various community leaders, held several rounds of detailed discussion with them and brought them together under the banner of Hindu Devotees Forum. Swayamsevaks took care to obtain due permission from the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department to perform this unique feat. This program is all the more significant, since devotees are not generally allowed to directly perform any ritual inside the Garba Griha (Sanctum Sanctorum) in Tamilnadu temples.

As told to Team PANCHAAMRITAM on February 27, 2009

by Shri Muthukrishnan, Chennai

TWO

Tulsi, known for its medicinal qualities, will now help protect the Taj Mahal from environmental pollution. In an exercise being undertaken by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and the Lucknow-based Organic India, a million tulsi saplings will be planted near the marble mausoleum.A spokesman for the company said it is one of the best plants to purify the environment. It cleanses as it releases high amounts of oxygen, which minimises the adverse impact of industrial and refinery emission. Zonal Forest Conservator R.P. Bharti said planting had been taken up on a big scale. –PTI (From THE HINDU, February 5, 2009)

THREE

Storming into A Chennai police station, she demands to see the policeman who has allegedly been harassing 80- year old Ranganayaki, a biscuit vendor. Catching sight of a constable she snaps, "You have to salute me. I am part of the National Commission for Women – an autonomous, statutory body with quasi-judicial powers." The constable stumbles as he hastily rises and prefers a stiff salute. The whole atmosphere in the police station changes. Leading a three-member NCW team to Mangalore where women in a pub were beaten up, Nirmala Venkatesh, who has been on the Commission since 2005, feels the team's hands are tied simply because the women will not complain. She must know, for she came up the hard way. Widowed early in her marriage when her husband expired in a road accident, Nirmala had to struggle to bring her two girls up. For 20 years, she worked in a bank to keep the fires of the hearth going and to give her daughters a good education. Her daughters are now in the US, one a doctor and the other, pursuing her MBA. Nirmala soon realised it was time to quit and do what her heart kept telling her to do – work for the welfare of women.

Based on a report by Smt. Ramya Kannan in THE HINDU of February 1, 2009.

FOUR

G.Vasantha Pai, 87 Years, Senior Advocate, Ex-Member of (the now defunct) Legislative Council, Tamil Nadu, died on January 31, 2009 after a brief illness. Pai was a firm believer in parliamentary democracy and constitutional traditions. After being elected to the Legislative Council in 1978, he refused to take his legislator's oath before the pro-tem chairman, Abdul Wahab, because Wahab had allegedly made a speech advocating secession. To avoid losing his seat, Pai swore himself in as a legislator and notified the governor that he had "substantially complied" with the Constitution's requirements. The Madras High Court later upheld Pai's action. Pai was a patriot whose love for country was forged through wounds suffered during the freedom struggle. As a student, he was mercilessly beaten in a demonstration against the British.

From `Vasantha Pai, an advocate's advocate'

by Shri Vikram Raghavan in THE HINDU ofFebruary 16, 2009

FIVE

On the night of 26-27 November, Ombale and several other policemen were on alert in the Girgaum Chowpatty (Mumbai, Maharashtra, Bharat) area. They had been told that two terrorists were on the run in a Skoda. Those (virtually unarmed) policemen tried to stop the Skoda. The driver fired at them. The police shot back from the pre-determined vantage point and got him. The other man slid out, pretending to surrender, but carrying an AK-47. Ombale rushed to secure him when the terrorist started pumping away with the AK-47. Tukaram Gopal Ombale refused to let go of his assailant. I am told that something like 30 bullets were recovered from his body. His colleagues took advantage of Ombale's last act as they rushed at the terrorist with their lathis. Ombale died for his bravery. Assistant Police Inspector Sanjay Govilkar received bullet injuries. But those ordinary policemen -- some in their forties, laughably ill-equipped -- succeeded in doing what nobody else could; they captured a terrorist on a suicide mission -- Mohammad Ajmal Amir Iman – alive. Today security agencies from across the planet salute those constables from D B Road (Mumbai) police station.

The State of Kerala came into being in 1956, and Hindus then comprised 61.5% of the population. In half a century, this has swiftly declined and reached barely 55%. Meanwhile, the two other minority religions, contrary to the general trend of population growth, have grown drastically. The negative growth of Hindu population is a continuing phenomenon, and cannot be treated as an inadvertent phenomenon. Several factors can be seen behind this fall, political, religious, economic, and so on.

Christians are taking advantage of the existing political situation through their stratagem of ‘mission of education and open-ended proselytism’ that marginalized Hindus economically and numerically. On the other hand, Muslims are spreading their net of annihilation of Hindu life in Kerala through ‘petro-dollar, hawala money, aggressive proselytism and Talibanization’ of the State. They are supported by the self-styled ‘cultural-cum-intellectual magnates’ functioning as the tails of CPI(M), who patronize all fundamentalist-cum-extremist activities in the State under the guise of human rights.

For instance, one Malayali, Javed [before conversion to Islam he was Pranesh Nair], a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba team of four who masterminded the plot to assassinate the Gujarat Chief Minister, was killed in a police encounter on 15 Nov. 2004 at Ahmedabad. The cultural magnates tried to portray this as a fake encounter and exalted Javed as a fallen hero. But the recent shooting of Malayali terrorists by security forces on the Kashmir border had them scuttling into deep burrows.

Kerala’s history of Talibanization goes back to the days of Moplah Riots of 1921, but Left historians and coalition politics connived to conceal its fanatic disposition and projected the incident as agrarian rebellion. Moreover, the state conference of the CPM (February 2005) at Malappuram officially declared the fanatic Wariamkunnathu Kunjahammed Haji, leader of the notorious Moplah Revolt who killed thousands of Hindus including innocent women and children in cold blood during 1921 Khilafat agitation of Malabar, as a martyr of the Communist Party! Even Muslim League is reluctant to make this bigot their Badar.

Islamic fundamentalism tightened its hold over the social, economic and political scenario of Kerala in the post-independence period; it was constantly appeased by the Communist Party. In 1946, one Unnian Saheb [1] and his family of Perinthalmanna, Malappuram district, Malabar, returned to the Hindu dharma. Enraged, a Moplah mob [2] brutally exterminated Ramasimhan [Unnian Saheb] and his family as an admonition to all wishing to return to purva dharma. At that time, all political parties, particularly the Communist ‘vanguard’ Party under self-styled revolutionary leader EMS Nambudiripad, attempted to misdirect the police investigation and save the culprits from the law [3]. Kerala political parties even today continue this minority appeasement...

The anti-Hindu approach of the Communists drove a sizable number of Hindus to desert the party fold during the 1960s, leaving the Communist Party free to adopt an open policy of minority appeasement. The immediate result was the birth of an exclusive Muslim district, Malappuram in 1968 – its layout conforms to the Muslim League demanded Mopilastan of 1946. Today it is the hatchery of all anti-national and terrorist activities in Kerala.

The State Government acquired 24 acres of land for the Aligarh Muslim University Centre at Malappuram district, which was later decided to be enhanced to 1000 acres. Sources suggest that the proposed land will comprise the Elemkulam Mana, the household of veteran Marxist leader and first Communist Chief Minister EMS Nambudiripad. It is a shortcut for the CPM to secure the benevolence of the Jamaat-e-Islami in the forthcoming general elections. The district already hosts Calicut University; hence the attempt to open a centre of Aligarh Muslim University is not logical. Kerala is today a haven for terrorists operations. Its 580-km unchecked coastline is a major attraction for terrorist outfits.

Subsequently, a Christian district carved out, a political decision that legitimized the communal divide of Kerala. The Communist Party’s history of minority appeasement goes back to the days of its inception in Kerala. First, it glorified communal riots masterminded by Muslims as revolutions; then it shared political power with Muslim and Christian communal outfits; now the bigot Abdul Nassar Madani is dear to it. This is a ‘suicidal compromise’ as far as the national mind of Kerala is concerned.

In the 1980s, several cinema halls were set ablaze by fundamentalists in Malappuram district; police remained inactive due to political pressure. To this day it remains lukewarm towards terrorists; more than a dozen bomb blasts have taken place in the northern districts during the past decade. No one was booked for the blast at Bepoor Port, thanks to the blessings of the ruling party.

The Talibanism of Malappuram is now a serious threat to the nation and Hindu values. Bangalore city witnessed a series of bomb blasts on 25 July 2008. Recently, the Karnataka police booked the culprits of this incident - all nine were Malayalis from Malappuram. The brains behind most of the recent blasts in our metro cities hail from Kerala; besides Malappuram, most Malabar districts face fundamentalist threats. Hence the police failed or was ‘forced to fail’ to book the culprits of the Thrissur train blast on 6 December 1997.

The Thrissur blasts were followed by Coimbatore blasts on 14 February 1998, which took the lives of 50 persons and injured over 150. The target was L.K. Advani who escaped miraculously, and the prime accused Abdul Nasser Madani, presently a respectable icon to Marxist and Congress coalitions of Kerala. His henchmen hijacked and set fire to a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus from NH 47 near Cochin demanding his release. The police have registered a case, but its destiny is still mysterious.

A strategy of ethnical cleansing is now in operation on the Kerala coastline, to make the 580-km coastline safe for ISI-sponsored activities. Currently, from Ponnani to Beypore, a length of 65-km coastline, no Hindu fishermen hamlet can be seen; all were cleansed by conversion or by threat. A few Hindu fishermen hamlets survive north of Beypore, such as Marad.

On 2 May 2003, ISI-sponsored terrorists [NDF] conducted an ethnic cleansing operation here. Eight Hindu fishermen were brutally killed by terrorists. They reputedly prepared for a communal riot aimed at total annihilation of Hindu fishermen community from the coastal regions, but the alertness and restraint of Hindu leaders foiled their plans. Recently, the special trial court awarded life terms to 65 accused in the case.

On 10 March 2005, NDF assassinated Aswini, RSS district leader; police were helpless to nab the actual culprits because of political pressure. It is a convention among Muslims of northern Kerala to insist Hindus to keep business establishments closed on Fridays, not go for fishing on Fridays, shut down of hotels during Ramzan; those who disobey pay the price. Police under political pressure are becoming inactive on every instance of Talibanization of Kerala. Santhosh of Mathilakom police station area of Thrissur district violated the above fatwa and opened his shop on Fridays. On 9 August 1996 he was brutally killed by terrorists, and money power and political power became victorious in this case, as usual [4].

Another Taliban experiment is the extension of Islamic wedlock to non-Muslim girls; a one-way traffic. In 2001, one Balakrishnan of Kasargod fell in love with a girl named Raziabanu and got married. Some time later, he was brutally slaughtered; the police and political parties together depicted this homicide as a political murder. They fabricated a story that the murdered Balakrishnan was a Congress worker of Kasargod and the police, Congress and CPM unanimously found that the culprits behind the murder were Marxist workers! The story doesn’t end here. With the meaningful silence of the authorities, the chief accused in the case absconded to a foreign country, as in the case of the abduction and butchering of progressive Islamic theologian Chekannoor Maulavi.

According to Kerala Marxist’s conceptual framework, for a person to be recognized as a progressive or revolutionary, he has to be fundamentally anti-Hindu and pro-Muslim/pro-Christian. Those who talk in a broader national perspective may be called ‘saffron’ or renegade. In short, Marxist, Missionary, Muslim-dominated Kerala is terrorist-friendly.

In the hilly districts of Kottayam and Ernakulum, the banned jihadi organization SIMI conducted all-India terrorist training camps. The public brought the matter to the attention of the authorities, so police rushed there and arrested all on petty charges and released them on bail! Political intervention forced the police to close the file without further investigation.

Recently, those who participated in the terrorist camps were arrested from different States of India. Kerala police and ‘cultural magnates’ were reluctant to accept that the jihadis shot by security personnel at the Kashmir border were Malayalis.

Converting non-Muslim criminals to Islam is a new technique in Kerala. Several such convert-criminals were killed in police encounters in different parts of the country. Further, terrorist organizations in Kerala frequently change their names to maintain the façade of a secular organization. Once SIMI was tainted, it changed its name to NDF. So now NDF has become a watchword for subversive activities in Kerala. Likewise, half a dozen organizations camouflaged as NGOs are at the forefront justifying talibanism (these include the Forum for Ideological Thought, Karuna Foundation, Islamic Youth Centre, Minority Rights Watch) [5].

Talibanism flourished in the economic front, under the euphemism of “Hawala”. In a decade, the economic disparity between Muslims and Hindus widened unbelievably. The weekly “Malayalam” in its editorial warned of the inherent danger of this imbalance between Hindus and minorities. “While examining the records of the registration [land] department, it is evident that in several districts 70% of the lands were purchased by the above said [Muslims] communities… In certain specific districts the purchase of land is the exclusive right of a particular community. The intermediaries in these land deals are also their religious institutions.” [6]

For generations, Hindus have been worshipping cows. Only one state in India legitimizes cow slaughter – Kerala, due to the impudence of minority religious groups. Government official data states 5,00,000 cows were slaughtered in the State during 2002 and 2,49,000 tonnes of beef sold [7]. The real statistics will be much higher. Medical science advises people to refrain from the consumption of beef, yet the minority religious leadership insists on continuing this cruelty to humiliate and hurt Hindu self-esteem.

Talibanization of Kerala’s cultural scenario began around the 1970s. In the State School Youth Festival, art forms like Moplah Song [Muslim] and Margamkali [Christian] were introduced as events of competition by Muslim education ministers [8]. A traditional Hindu art form, Kolkali, an event of competition in the youth festival, was transformed into an Islamic one through introduction of a new dress code - the Moplah dress like green colour lungi, belt and banyan [vest] – was made the event costume. Finally, all non-Muslim students were forbidden to take part in the State Arabic Youth Festival.

Muslim League Ministers holding the education portfolio call the ceremonial lighting of lamps as un-Islamic, though Muslim ministers of other secular parities light lamps without hesitation. People’s representatives who took their oath of allegiance contrary to the constitutional directive, i.e., in the name of Allah and Infant Jesus, continue as ministers, MLAs and MPs. If a Hindu took an oath of allegiance in the name of his personal deity, it would be termed a “gross violation of the stipulations enshrined in the Constitution of India.” The Kerala High Court’s decision of 3 March 2003 in the case against Umesh Challiyil [MLA 2001-06] is an example to this embargo.

The erection of the statue of Tunchathu Ezhuthachan, father of Malayalam language and literature, at his birthplace Tirur, now Muslim-dominated, proved problematic. It was resolved by erecting a symbolic representation of ‘an inkpot and brush,’ the official emblem of Jamaat-e-Islami. It is true Ezhuthachan used only stylus and Palmyra leaf for writing, never pen or ink, but the compromise was pure political appeasement.

Kerala Muslim society was more national until the 1960s, but has been steadily alienated from the mainstream, thanks to uninterrupted hawala money from the Gulf reaching fundamentalists. In dress code and social gatherings they are forced to keeping away from the mainstream. Only 10.3% of the older generation ladies used purdah; now 31.6% of the new generation have adopted purdah [9], which certainly suggests fundamentalist compulsions.

On 6 November 1999, Pope John Paul II in a sermon at Sacred Heart Cathedral, New Delhi, stated, “Just as in the first millennium the Cross was planted on the soil of Europe, and in the second on that of the Americas and Africa, we can pray that in the Third Christian Millennium a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent [Asia]”.

In the light of this ambition one should view Hindu antipathy to the minority approach of en masse dismemberment of a community and culture. This proselytism is suicidal so far as a civilization is concerned.

Under the guise of charitable service, a Kenyan national, Brother Bernard, on a tourist visa, and some nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, engaged in conversion through allurements in an economically backward Hindu settlement. They were opposed and blockaded at the entrance of the hamlet by some youths hailing from all non-communal political parties. This news is being vocally debated in mainstream Kerala newspapers. The police pressed charges against those who protested the conversion agenda of the Kenyan missionary, but recently the court acquitted all the accused in this case.

Three years ago, an American citizen, Rev. Joseph Cooper, on a tourist visa, publicly ridiculed Hindu gods and goddesses [10] at a Christian convention at Kilimannoor near Trivandrum. The public gave him a proper response, but the state government and opposition front provided him an escape route, even though he had violated visa norms and, like Brother Bernard, engaged in conversion of Hindus.

Hindu society faces multifaceted attacks from all anti-national forces. They must protect this nation from another division, and they must, above all, save the dying Hindu community of Kerala.

Notes1] After his conversion to Hinduism he received the name Ramasimhan.2] Muslims of this region is called so.3] See EMS’s Selected Works, [Mal], Vol. VII, pp 356-574] Deepak Dharmadam, Keralam Feekararude Swantham Nadu, pp 59, 60. 5] Mangalam Daily, Kottayam,9th February 2009 6] Malayalam Varika, Editorial, Vol. VII, No. 12, 25th July 2003. 7] The New Indian Express, Kochi, 13 August 2003.8] Not ignoring the fact that in the 53 years of Kerala’s history, for 49 years the portfolio of education is controlled by the minority religious parties or a person from a minority community who represents the secular parties. 9] Dr. K. P. Aravindan [ed], Kerala Padanam, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Kozhikode, 2006, p13510] He uttered that Lord Krishna was the first AIDS patient.11] Malayala Manorama, daily, Kottayam, dtd. 19th March 200512] Keralam 2000, State Language Institute, Trivandrum, pp 908, 909

Dr. C.I. Issac is a retired Professor of History, and lives in Trivandrum. The article is based on the First P.A. Ramakrishnan Memorial Lecture delivered in Chennai on 8 March 2009

Few things annoy me as much as the claim often advanced by well-meaning but woolly- headed (and usually Punjabi) liberals to the effect that when it comes to India and Pakistan, "We’re all the same people, yaar."

This may have been true once upon a time. Before 1947, Pakistan was part of undivided India and you could claim that Punjabis from West Punjab (what is now Pakistan) were as Indian as, say, Tamils from Madras.

But time has a way of moving on. And while the gap between our Punjabis (from east Punjab which is now the only Punjab left in India) and our Tamils may actually have narrowed, thanks to improved communications, shared popular culture and greater physical mobility, the gap between Indians and Pakistanis has now widened to the extent that we are no longer the same people in any significant sense.

This was brought home to me most clearly by two major events over the last few weeks.

The first of these was the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team on the streets of Lahore. In their defence, Pakistanis said that they were powerless to act against the terrorists because religious fanaticism was growing. Each day more misguided youngsters joined jihadi outfits and the law and order situation worsened.

Further, they added, things had got so bad that in the tribal areas the government of Pakistan had agreed to suspend the rule of law under pressure from the Taliban and had conceded that sharia law would reign instead. Interestingly, while most civilised liberals should have been appalled by this surrender to the forces of extremism, many Pakistanis defended this concession.

Imran Khan (Keble College, Oxford, 1973-76) even declared that sharia law would be better because justice would be dispensed more swiftly! (I know this is politically incorrect but the Loin of the Punjab’s defence of sharia law reminded me of the famous Private Eye cover when his marriage to Jemima Goldsmith was announced. The Eye carried a picture of Khan speaking to Jemima’s father. “Can I have your daughter’s hand?” Imran was supposedly asking James Goldsmith. “Why? Has she been caught shoplifting?” Goldsmith replied. So much for sharia law.)

The second contrasting event was one that took place in Los Angeles but which was perhaps celebrated more in India than in any other country in the world. Three Indians won Oscars: A.R. Rahman, Resul Pookutty and Gulzar.

Their victory set off a frenzy of rejoicing. We were proud of our countrymen. We were pleased that India’s entertainment industry and its veterans had been recognised at an international platform. And all three men became even bigger heroes than they already were.

But here’s the thing: Not one of them is a Hindu.

Can you imagine such a thing happening in Pakistan? Can you even conceive of a situation where the whole country would celebrate the victory of three members of two religious minorities? For that matter, can you even imagine a situation where people from religious minorities would have got to the top of their fields and were, therefore, in the running for international awards?

On the one hand, you have Pakistan imposing sharia law, doing deals with the Taliban, teaching hatred in madrasas, declaring jihad on the world and trying to kill innocent Sri Lankan cricketers. On the other, you have the triumph of Indian secularism.

The same people?

Surely not.

We are defined by our nationality. They choose to define themselves by their religion.

But it gets even more complicated. As you probably know, Rahman was born Dilip Kumar. He converted to Islam when he was 21. His religious preferences made no difference to his prospects. Even now, his music cuts across all religious boundaries. He’s as much at home with Sufi music as he is with bhajans. Nor does he have any problem with saying ‘Vande Mataram’.

Now, think of a similar situation in Pakistan. Can you conceive of a Pakistani composer who converted to Hinduism at the age of 21 and still went on to become a national hero? Under sharia law, they’d probably have to execute him.

Resul Pookutty’s is an even more interesting case. Until you realise that Malayalis tend to put an ‘e’ where the rest of us would put an ‘a,’ (Ravi becomes Revi and sometimes the Gulf becomes the Gelf), you cannot work out that his name derives from Rasool, a fairly obviously Islamic name.

But here’s the point: even when you point out to people that Pookutty is in fact a Muslim, they don’t really care. It makes no difference to them. He’s an authentic Indian hero, his religion is irrelevant.

Can you imagine Pakistan being indifferent to a man’s religion? Can you believe that Pakistanis would not know that one of their Oscar winners came from a religious minority? And would any Pakistani have dared bridge the religious divide in the manner Resul did by referring to the primeval power of Om in his acceptance speech?

The same people?

Surely not.

Most interesting of all is the case of Gulzar who many Indians believe is a Muslim. He is not. He is a Sikh. And his real name is Sampooran Singh Kalra.

So why does he have a Muslim name?

It’s a good story and he told it on my TV show some years ago. He was born in West Pakistan and came over the border during the bloody days of Partition. He had seen so much hatred and religious violence on both sides, he said, that he was determined never to lose himself to that kind of blind religious prejudice and fanaticism.

Rather than blame Muslims for the violence inflicted on his community — after all, Hindus and Sikhs behaved with equal ferocity — he adopted a Muslim pen name to remind himself that his identity was beyond religion. He still writes in Urdu and considers it irrelevant whether a person is a Sikh, a Muslim or a Hindu.

Let’s forget about political correctness and come clean: can you see such a thing happening in Pakistan? Can you actually conceive of a famous Pakistani Muslim who adopts a Hindu or Sikh name out of choice to demonstrate the irrelevance of religion?

My point, exactly.

What all those misguided liberals who keep blathering on about us being the same people forget is that in the 60-odd years since Independence, our two nations have traversed very different paths.

Pakistan was founded on the basis of Islam. It still defines itself in terms of Islam. And over the next decade as it destroys itself, it will be because of Islamic extremism.

India was founded on the basis that religion had no role in determining citizenship or nationhood. An Indian can belong to any religion in the world and face no discrimination in his rights as a citizen.

It is nobody’s case that India is a perfect society or that Muslims face no discrimination. But only a fool would deny that in the last six decades, we have travelled a long way towards religious equality. In the early days of independent India, a Yusuf Khan had to call himself Dilip Kumar for fear of attracting religious prejudice.

In today’s India, a Dilip Kumar can change his name to A.R. Rahman and nobody really gives a damn either way.

So think back to the events of the last few weeks. To the murderous attack on innocent Sri Lankan cricketers by jihadi fanatics in a society that is being buried by Islamic extremism. And to the triumphs of Indian secularism.

Some sage, in defending Hinduism, said that a convert is not just aHindu less but an enemy more. It thus the duty of the Hindus to defendby whatever means, if the opponent says that it is his duty to convertHindus by whatever means.

Furthermore, it is only realistic to assume that this tactics of foolingthe people is common in many churches, not just in Karnataka but also inother places.

Introduction: “The duty of every Christian is to convert non-Christiansto Christianity by any means.”

BANGALORE: In a revelation that could have widespread ramifications,Father Joseph Menengis, priest of St James Church in Mariyannapalya,Bangalore, confessed before the Justice B K Somashekara Commission ofInquiry on Wednesday that idol worship was being performed in churchesto attract Hindus and convert them to Christianity.

The Commission is inquiring into the recent attacks on churches inKarnataka.

“Hindus believe in idol worship. So to attract them to Christianity,idol worship is performed in churches,” Menengis said.

During cross-examination, the priest said that “despite idol worshipbeing prohibited in Bible, we have idol worship in churches.”

“The duty of every Christian is to convert non-Christians toChristianity by any means,” the priest told the commission.

St James Church was attacked by miscreants on September 21, 2008.

The church is running co-education institutions, with classes from firstto eight standard.

During cross-examination the priest confessed that “no girl students arepermitted to use kumkum, bangles and wear flowers. In our institution,we have moral science textbook.

But it does not contain texts regarding Holy Bible and Jesus,” thepriest added.